You Can Die Without Aadhaar Number, But Need For Death Certificate

Residents across India, leaving aside those from Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya and Assam states, need to mention Aadhaar number for death registration from October 1, says a notification from Union Home Ministry.

It is learned the number will serve the purpose of establishing identity of the deceased along with accuracy of the details provided by dependents, relatives or acquaintances of the deceased.

The notification added the new measure will help in preventing identity fraud and also obviate the need of several documents to prove identity.

Meanwhile, all the Indian states and Union Territories have been informed by the Registrar General to ensure compliance and confirm before September 1.

From October 1 the death certificate can only be applied accompanied with Aadhaar number or Enrolment ID Number (EID) of the deceased. If not, a certificate is required stating the deceased does not possess Aadhaar number, but providing Aadhaar number of the applicant becomes mandatory.

Apart from all these it is important to know that false declaration will be an offence under provisions of the Aadhaar Act, 2016 and the Registration of Birth and Death Act, 1969.

Central Bureau of Health Intelligence report reveals 9 million deaths occur in India every year, but only 48 percent of those are registered even though the Registration of Births & Deaths Act, 1969, has made it mandatory to register death within 21 days of the occurrence.

About the Author

Paul Linus - Paul Linus is an eminent online journalist who has been writing news, features and editorials on different websites from across the world for about a decade.